


Silver Lining- Adopted By Brendon Urie

by MadSalty017



Series: Silver Lining [1]
Category: Panic! at the Disco
Genre: Adopted, Compulsive, F/F, F/M, Fanfiction, M/M, Music, OCD, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, disorder, foster, obsessive - Freeform, possible autism?, silverlining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25638373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadSalty017/pseuds/MadSalty017
Summary: When people hear the name "Mari" their first thought is not the girl who always wore gloves and talked about music. But, she's begun to let her habits and thoughts get the best of her, just as her world flips upside down.~~~~~~~~~~~~~Warning: includes obsessive thoughts, repetitive behaviors,  anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and mentions of the above. If you have any other triggers or have any questions about the book, please message and ask! I'm always willing to help out
Relationships: OC/OC, Sarah Orzechowski/Brendon Urie
Series: Silver Lining [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858570
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	1. i. the Basics

**_Characters_ **

~-~- Mari Urie -~-~

~-~- "I gotta go, I gotta go." -~-~

~-~- Theme Song: Open Wounds- Skillet -~-~

~-~- Actress: Elizabeth Gillies -~-~

  


~-~- Brendon Urie -~-~

~-~- "Just keep breathing." -~-~

~-~- Theme Song: Say Amen (Saturday Night) -~-~

~-~- Actor: Himself -~-~

  


~-~- Sarah Urie -~-~

~-~- "I love Corn Nuts." -~-~

~-~- Theme Song: Sarah Smiles -~-~

~-~- Actor: Herself -~-~

  


~-~- Theresa Stump -~-~

~-~- "Boys would look nicer if they weren't so rude." -~-~

~-~- Theme Song: Salute- Little Mix -~-~

~-~- Actress: Amandla Stenberg-~-~

  


~-~- Jeremy Cambell -~-~

~-~- Are you okay, Mari?" -~-~

~-~- Theme Song: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing- Set It Off-~-~

~-~- Actor: Cole Sprouse -~-~

  


~-~- Steven Lewis -~-~  


~-~- "You could theoretically kill a man out here and get away with it." -~-~

~-~- Theme Song: American Beauty/American Psycho- Fall Out Boy-~-~

~-~- Actor: Ty Simpkins -~-~

  



	2. ii. Index + Encyclopedia

**This will be updated as chapters come out, so be on the lookout for new terms and chapter names!**

╓═══════☆═══════╖

_INDEX_

╙═══════☆═══════╜

 _i_ \- _The Basics_

_ii- Index + Encyclopedia_

1- Introduction  
2- ???  
3- ???  
4- ???  
5- ???  
6- ???  
7- ???  
8- ???  
9- ???  
10- ???  
11- ???  
12- ???  
13- ???  
14- ???  
15- ???  
16- ???  
17- ???  
18- ???  
19- ???  
20- ???  
21- ???  
22- ???  
23- ???  
24- ???  
25- ???  
26- ???  
27- ???  
28- ???  
29- ???  
30- ???

╓═══════☆═══════╖

_ENCYCLOPEDIA_

╙═══════☆═══════╜

_** People ** _

**Dan Black-** Character, 18. Mari's foster brother.  
 **Heather Wright-** Side Character, 48. Mari's foster mother. Played by _Emily Mortimer_  
 **Jack Garcia-** Character, 17. Mari's foster brother.   
**Katie Roberts-** Character, 18. Mari's foster sister.  
 **Mari Olympia-** Main Character, 16. Professional disaster. Played by _Elizabeth Gilles_  
 **Tyler Wright-** Side Character, 45. Mari's foster mother. Played by _Jason London_

**_Other_ **   
  


WARNING:  
I currently I have not been diagnosed with OCD _or_ ASD, however the experiences that Mari goes through in this book are just the smallest bit exaggerated from my personal experience- but not too much. I also have never been adopted or fostered. If something is incorrect, _please_ reach out to me and let me know! I'll try my best to fix it as soon as I can!


	3. 1. Introduction

Music is my life.

And by that I mean I can be found frequently either talking about music, listening to music, or watching music videos. And, no matter the home I was in, it was something I had that _never_ left. No matter the parents, no matter the bed, no matter the life, music was always there. It was only natural for me to start loving it more than the things around me.

One fateful day in April, however, was proving to be somewhat frustrating and complicated.

I was currently in a foster home with three other kids, all of whom were also foster kids. We didn't hate each other, but it was kind of hard to stand each other when we all hated something the others liked. I liked music, Jack liked cars, Katie liked fashion and beauty stuff, and Dan liked sports. I didn't mind cars and sports, but I certainly couldn't hold up a conversation about them.

I awoke across the room from Katie, as always, and ran straight into the bathroom, barely remembering to put my glasses on. I was always the first one there. I had to be, otherwise, my routine was thrown off. 

Unluckily for me, Jack beat me to it. I cried out as he smirked, shutting the door. Dan came out right behind him but upon seeing my upset face, promised he would wait and make sure that Katie waited as well.

I went to grab my clothes for the day, which just consisted of jeans and a t-shirt. I grabbed my sneakers as well, walking around the school would _suck_ without them. I nearly avoided waking up Katie, and as soon as I walked back out Jack got out of the bathroom. I ran in, quickly washing my hair. I was supposed to shave today, but I was running out of time and they would be covered anyway. I hopped out after five minutes and brushed my teeth, using the tap water to take my meds as well (don't worry, it was safe). I got out of the bathroom after 15 minutes, rushing back into my room as Katie was waking up.

I grabbed my backpack and searched it, making sure I had everything according to a checklist I kept on my dresser and then grabbed a jacket out of my closet. I quickly threw the jacket on, grabbing my gloves and shoving them into my pocket and checking the list again. I slipped my sneakers on, and after one last check, I was running downstairs.

I got down there and Heather was cooking my eggs for me. Every morning I had an omelet with exactly three eggs, half a bell pepper, three mushrooms chopped up, three slices of provolone cheese and a splash of milk whisked in with the eggs before they were fried. Heather was currently whisking them, and as soon as she heard me come downstairs she was pouring the eggs into the pan.

"I realized you were running a little late this morning, I figured I would start them for you," She explained with a smile.

"Thank you. Did you remember the toppings?" I asked, putting my bag onto one of the barstools and adjusting it seven times before coming over to where she stood. I counted each slice of mushroom and provolone but noticed the bell pepper was missing. I quickly pushed my glasses up on my face, despite the fact that they were in the perfect position to see things anyway.

"I wasn't able to grab the bell pepper. Would you mind please?" Heather asked, getting ready to flip the eggs.

I walked to the fridge and grabbed the container holding the last half of bell pepper I needed to cut up. Seeing how close it was to put them in, I quickly opened the container and used a kitchen knife to cut it up, using my yellow cutting board I kept on the counter next to the stove. As I was cutting, however, I managed to knick the tip of my middle finger, slicing a part of it off and getting blood on the part I was cutting.

I cried out, flinching away, and Heather looked over, putting the pan with the eggs to a burner that wasn't on. I could feel my chest constrict as I continued to look at the wound.

Heather waved her hand in front of my eyes, taking my hand and leading me to the first aid kit in her and Tyler's room. I had seen the clock though, I was supposed to leave in a few minutes.

"Heather, I gotta go, I gotta go," I mumbled as she pulled out the kit.

"Is it okay if I take you in instead of you riding on the bus today?" She looked at me as the pulled out a gauze pad and bandaging.

"I guess..." I mumbled. I didn't want to get in her way, she has other things she needs to do today.

"I promise it's okay sweety. I have to put this alcohol on this, so hold still okay? It's going to sting, but I promise it's helping." After a nod, she gently poured some on. I swear it burned all the way up to my shoulder, making me cry out a little.

Katie poked her head into the bathroom, her backpack on her shoulders, "Mari, you coming?"

"I'm going to be taking her in a few minutes, you guys head to the bus stop okay?" Heather asked, turning to Katie. When Katie saw my hand her mouth formed an 'o' and she walked off, calling to the boys that they were good to head out.

Heather gently placed the gauze on my finger, then wrapped it up with the tape. Not tight enough to cut off circulation though. "There, all better?"

I continued to look at it, "How am I going to wear my gloves?"

She looked at my hand and thought for a second, "Here's what we'll do. After you eat, you can go upstairs and grab your fingerless ones, and then we'll cut your nails before going to school. There will be plenty of time, okay?" She took my hands and looked at me in the eyes. I nodded. "Alright, let's go rinse off your bell peppers and finish your eggs."

Without the other three the house was silent, a little too quiet for my liking. After a few minutes, I ended up putting on my music in the background in order to make sure there was something to always fill the silence. Heather had rinsed the bell peppers for me and had me warming up the eggs as she finished chopping the bell pepper. I watched as she cut, making sure that it was perfect.

First in went two slices of cheese on one side of the omelet, and then enough mushroom slices to account for a mushroom and a half. That was followed by the bell pepper, and then the rest of the mushrooms and then the last slice of cheese. After the cheese melted, the omelet was transferred to a paper plate (because it was a weekday) and covered in two turns of the salt shaker and three turns of the pepper.

It took me ten minutes to eat the whole thing. After I finished I ran upstairs to replace my gloves, slipping them on as I came back down the stairs. Heather awaited me with a pair of nail clippers, and as soon as my nails were all cut Heather and I left to go to school.

 _It'll get better. It'll get better. It'll get better._


	4. 2. How Soon Is Now?

It did get kind of better. My day evened out to normal from there; I got to all my classes on time, made sure I turned my homework in (facedown in the basket), I got my Caesar salad at lunch and ate exactly three feet five inches from the trashcan in the corner, and rode home on the bus in seat number 12R2. When I got home I worked on homework for exactly two hours and thirty-two minutes before coming downstairs for dinner.

We're fairly certain of one of two things about me: I am either on the autism spectrum or I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, otherwise known as OCD. I know it's the latter, but we can't legally claim that until I get tested (which is hard for a sixteen-year-old to do). I've dealt with this routine all my life, and I've had to deal with the teasing and the stereotypes as well. The kids at school _know_ , and I have to frequently have Dan by me to help make sure people don't come hurt me, or make fun of me.

Tyler could be found at work, and tomorrow Heather would take his place at the fire station. I still couldn't believe they managed it, but they had fought for three years to make sure that one of them was at home when I got home from school.

At exactly 5:07 Heather mentioned I had gotten a letter in the mail. She passed it to me from across the table, and it surprised me to see the Oregon Department of Human Resources logo on the corner, signaling it talked about the adoption process of someone.

I opened it slowly, completely forgetting about the Hawaiian pizza that had been placed in front of me. I pushed up my glasses so I could read.

_Dear Mari Olympia,_

_Congratulations! Someone has expressed interest in adopting you! They and a lawyer will be coming to your house on Saturday, April 14th to meet you, and we will continue from there._

_Our lawyers have already spoken with them, and while they live in California we feel like they would be a great fit for you, and that you would be a great fit for them!_

_Their names are Brendon and Sarah Urie, they are both 32 but have been having trouble having children on their own. They're excited to meet you, and I hope you are the same about them!_

_Rachel Hugo_

Rachel has been my caseworker since I arrived at the orphanage. But from what she told me, she may not be for much longer.

And Brendon and Sarah freaking Urie! Lead singer (and wife of) of Panic! at the Disco! I dreamed sometimes of being able to meet Brendon one day because I love the music of Panic! at the Disco, but I didn't think I may have a chance to _live_ with him!

I looked up at the rest of the table, grinning widely, "I'm going to be adopted! Hopefully!"

Heather and Katie squealed, Dan smiled and Jack rolled his eyes. I felt bad for the two, they were about to age out.

"By who? Are they coming to visit?" Katie asked.

"Yes, they're coming Saturday, and it's _Brendon and Sarah freaking Urie!_ " Katie didn't know much about my music but knew they were important to me, so she gripped my hand and fangirled with me for a moment. Heather grinned and made sure that I continued eating after Katie and I freaked out.

✞———————❖———————✞

Those next three days were seemingly the longest I have ever had to wait.

Tyler and Heather made sure that they would be there on Saturday to be with me when Brendon and Sarah got to the house and gave the options to the other teenagers to leave if they wanted. Jack said he would be going to a car meet, Dan had a game that day and he would be going to go hang out with his teammates, and Katie wanted to go shopping with friends. She promised I would get something from the mall, probably something from Hot Topic since she knows a lot of my favorite bands have merch there.

I awoke on the fateful day at exactly 8 AM, three hours before Brendon and Sarah would be at the house. According to another letter I received a couple of days before, if I got along with the duo I would be able to go home with them next week. Of course, the change would be insane, and every time I thought about it my chest constricted, but hopefully, the Urie's would be willing to accommodate.

Katie helped me pick out an outfit that didn't stray too far from what I normally wore, but made me look at least decent. I wore a pair of jeans that were ripped at the knees, a t-shirt and a cute flannel that Katie let me borrow. She helped me pull my hair into a high ponytail, and put in a pair of earrings shaped like lightning bolts. As soon as I finished up she left to go hang out with friends.

I couldn't help but stare into the mirror. My black hair contrasted with the white and red of the shirt I wore but matched my glasses (which is why I chose them). The earrings felt heavy on my ears, different from the little studs I usually wore. But... if Katie said I looked cute. I needed to make one adjustment, and that meant rolling up the jeans a little.

I came downstairs to see Heather had already made my eggs and had put a couple of pieces of bacon on the plate next to the omelet. I loved bacon and made sure to only eat it on special occasions, so I wouldn't get bored with the taste. I sat at the breakfast bar, munching on the bacon as Heather made breakfast for herself and Tyler.

"I love your earrings," Heather complimented, smiling at me.

That made me feel better about them. I smiled at her, biting into the eggs.

"You make _really_ good eggs," I said, biting into the fluffy substance again.

Heather laughed, "Thank you. Brendon, Sarah, and the lawyer will be here at 11 o'clock, we'll spend an hour here, and I'm going to bring up the idea of going out for lunch. Do you want to go anywhere specific?"

I thought for a moment. I liked a few different restaurants, both sit-down and fast-food. "Do we want sit-down or fast-food?"

"Probably sit down," Heather said, scrambling a pair of eggs.

"Then can we go to Rosatti's?"

Heather nodded, "That works."

We were silent until Tyler came down. Heather mumbled a 'good morning' as he kissed her, pouring himself a coffee. He sat down next to me and held a fist out for a fist-bump; our way of greeting each other.

"You excited for today kiddo?" He asked, sipping on the black liquid.

I nodded, "Yeah. Heather said we could go to Rosatti's for lunch!"

Tyler laughed, "That's great! What about our checkers game?"

Tyler and I always played a game of checkers. I didn't care about whoever won, just as long as we started before 10 o'clock.

"I'm gonna beat you this week," I grinned, going to grab the set from the closet.

"You are?" Tyler teased, thanking Heather as she set his eggs down.

"Yeah!" I brought out the little board and set it up so we could play while he ate.

By the way, I did totally beat him.


	5. 3. Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met...)

I was on the couch when the doorbell rang, signaling the Uries were here. I looked up, and Tyler stood from next to me to go and greet them. 

"Hello!" Tyler greeted, opening the door, "Come on in guys." I watched as Tyler shook hands with first the lawyer, then Brendon. 

Sarah noticed that I was on the couch and walked in, sitting on the other couch and facing me, "Hi, you're Mari right?"

I nodded, "It's nice to meet you."

"You too. I heard that we're going out to lunch later?" She grinned.

Another nod, "We're going to my favorite restaurant."

"That's cool. Brendon loves Chicago food, so he'll be excited," She smiled at me as Brendon, the lawyer and Tyler all came back over to sit down.

"What will I be excited about?" Brendon asked, wrapping his arm around Sarah.

"We're going to a Chicago-themed restaurant for lunch," Sarah explained.

"Oh heck yeah!" Brendon said, grinning. He held his fist out to me, and I grinned and bumped my own fist against his.

I tapped Tyler's shoulder and told him I'd be right back, so I could grab my gloves. 

"What is she grabbing?" Brendon asked. I slowed my steps, so I could hear him.

"She's grabbing her gloves, they make sure that when she's anxious she doesn't pick any more scabs in her skin," Heather explained.

I ran to my room and grabbed my gloves making sure that they fit over my injured finger before coming back downstairs.

"Yeah, we've been trying to get her diagnosed legally, but it's been hard," Tyler explained, "Oh my gosh where are my manners; do you guys want anything to drink?"

"I'm alright," Brendon said, followed by replies from Sarah and the lawyer.

I sat down and listened as the adults talked. I was insanely nervous since the lead singer of one of my favorite bands was going to adopt me!

"Mari, I heard you liked Panic?" Brendon asked.

I nodded, blushing, "Yeah. I've got a couple of posters up in my room."

"Can I see?" He was utterly calm, different from what I had seen in YouTube videos and vines and such.

"Sure," I stood and he followed me to my bedroom. It looked weird without Katie in there, but she and I had made sure to clean it this morning. There was a curtain separating the room in two, in case we wanted privacy, but other than that it was set up like a mirror was in the middle instead of a curtain.

My side of the room contained a bed with a white duvet and pale yellow and purple decorative items. My desk, which was at the end of my bed, was painted white. A tall dresser stood between Katie's dresser and the closet. Simple, easy to clean.

"When you move out, do you want to take all this furniture with you?" Brendon asked, sitting down gently on the bed. 

I sat at my desk and thought, "It would honestly depend on Heather and Tyler. If they want to foster again, I'd say leave it here."

"Bed coverings and all?" Brendon asked, eyebrow raised and picking up a pillow that was fluffy and lavender.

I laughed, "If I have to." 

Brendon laughed, looking at the walls. I noticed that one pencil was sitting oddly on the desk. I reach up and adjusted it, fixing it once- twice- three times and grimacing as it was returned to its spot finally. Brendon noticed but didn't mention it.

"Where do you hang out, besides in here?" Brendon asked.

"Oh! We have a movie room across the hall," I said, standing up. He followed me across the hall and into what was supposed to be the office. The room had black light curtains that were currently pulled back and a couple of sofas that could fit all of us. The wall that contained the TV also held enough shelves that the only amount of wall you could actually see was a 3-inch gap around the TV. A lot of the shelves were full; all of the foster kids had bought at least one movie (except Fabian. He bought an entire shelf's worth with his $15-per-hour paycheck). There was one case full of TV Shows though.

"Dude!" Brendon said, walking to the wall, "How many movies do you guys have?"

"A few hundred. They started off with a bunch, and then each time they fostered a new kid they asked what their favorite movie was, and then the kid would provide another movie by the end of it. Although this shelf," I gently rubbed my fingers over the Harry Potter shelf, "Was all one kid."

"Even up to the latest movie?" Brendon asked, looking at our copy of the Crimes of Grindlewald.

"He's mailed the Fantastic Beasts ones since he moved out a couple of years ago. I was the one that replaced him," I smiled fondly.

"So they always have four kids?" Brendon asked, looking back at me.

I nodded, "They started off with one, and then after that one there was a group of siblings that wanted to stay together so they obliged." 

Brendon's eyes caught a DVD, "Infinity War?"

I nodded again, "I love Marvel movies, along with Disney movies, so they try to keep up to date on those."

Brendon whistled, "I'm gonna have to talk to Sarah about doing this. We have a ton of movies, but they're all in moving boxes. We haven't really touched them since we moved." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. I giggled, continuing to point out movies and who they went to. 

"You like the movie wall?" We heard from the door. I turned to see the adults from downstairs had come up.

"Yeah!" Brendon said excitedly, "Sarah can this be my next project?"

Sarah laughed, "Sure." 

Brendon cheered as we walked over to the little group.

"You guys ready for lunch?" Heather asked.

I nodded, I was a little hungry. 

✞———————❖———————✞

By the time the checks came for lunch, we were discussing living agreements.

"Okay, so in order to get you accustomed to living at the Urie's house, we'll let you visit there for a week, and if you decide you like it there we can send the rest of your stuff over and continue to work on the adoption as they foster you. Sound good?" The lawyer asked, adjusting her suit jacket for the umpteenth time in ten minutes.

I nodded, chewing on my straw. 

Brendon grinned and held his fist out. I bumped it, lost in my thoughts as the lawyer droned on and on about legal things I didn't really need to know about. After another thirty minutes, the papers were signed.

I was going to go live with the Uries (temporarily).


	6. 4. First Try

Brendon and Sarah would be staying in a hotel this weekend while I packed my things for the trip, and then Monday night we would fly back to California. I had already been excused from school for the week and would be bringing homework with me on the trip.

It was hard, just packing. I took everything I could possibly need- better to be over-prepared than under-prepared- and nearly filled a suitcase and a bookbag. Of course, I would carry my book bag onto the plane and probably watch TV with Brendon and Sarah. Hand sanitizer would be used a lot, and I would probably be playing my music a lot on the plane.

I had just packed my toiletries bag when the doorbell rang downstairs. Katie and I met eyes sadly as she handed me my backpack. I wasn't sure that I wanted to go, but I knew that this would be for the best. I couldn't really stay here anymore, I knew I was wearing Heather and Tyler's resources thin. I hugged my foster sister and we brought my bags downstairs.

"You ready kiddo?" Tyler asked. I shrugged as Brendon and Sarah entered the threshold. They both held cups of coffee, something I despised.

"As I'll ever be," I mumbled, smiling at the couple.

"Let's get these out to the car," Brendon said, walking forward. He gently took my suitcase from Katie after handing his coffee to Sarah and walked right out the door.

I hugged Heather suddenly. I didn't normally like hugs, because they were quickly overwhelming for me, but I didn't know how else I could repay her. She had given me an amazing five years, and I didn't know how to show her just how much it mattered.

She understood and gently wrapped her arms around me. Around the ten-second mark, my skin started to tingle and at fifteen I had to pull away. She smiled at me anyway and gave me a little box. I went to open it but noticed it read "When you get there". I nodded, and within a few minutes, I had said my goodbyes and was in the Urie's rental car.

As they pulled out of the driveway I began to regret the decision to go with them. I mean, Brendon and Sarah were _amazing_ people, but they weren't _my_ people. I had expressed this to Heather earlier today.

_"Just because they aren't your people now doesn't mean they won't be your people later honey."_

I really hoped that would be true.

Sarah turned to look at me, "Do you like dogs?"

I thought about it for a moment. I hadn't really been around dogs before. I shrugged, and Sarah smiled.

"We have a couple of them. One is named Boggart, and the other is Penny. They're really small, but they're nice," Sarah explained.

I nodded, preoccupied with my thoughts. I hardly noticed Brendon and Sarah discussing my room, or how they kept looking back at me.

✞-------❖-------✞

When I saw the size of the airport, I was a little overwhelmed. It was big, but not like in the movies. People were moving all around, talking into phones and pulling suitcases. I reached down into my bag and pulled out my face mask, something Heather had made me when they first got me as a welcome gift to win me over. It smelled like home, and it certainly helped calm me down.

I stepped out slowly, watching as Sarah grabbed my backpack, "So, you're gonna be on either the aisle or the window, whichever you feel like will be better for you."

I thought for a moment. The window seat probably got cleaned less, but the aisle seat was closer to people. "Can I sit in the middle?" I whispered.

Sarah nodded, "Of course kiddo. I just wasn't sure that you'd want to be between Brendon and I. The flight is only a couple of hours long, so we could watch a movie if you wanted."

I shrugged, "What movies do they have?"

The bustle of the airport began to slowly drown us out as we continued on, "We won't know until we get on."

Brendon was looking around like he was trying to find someone. I tilted my head at him, and once he noticed he clarified: "I'm looking for one of my bandmates. She said she'd meet us here soon."

"Who?" I asked.

"Nicole. We haven't announced she's a member yet though," Brendon winked, sliding sunglasses on. Sarah did the same, and it finally clicked in my head. My lips made an 'o', not like they would see it though.

After a few minutes of walking slowly, Brendon finally caught sight of the woman and started forward a little quicker, taking my bag with him. Sarah giggled, following him but making sure that I kept up with her by reaching her hand behind me. Not wanting to get lost, I grabbed on. Luckily I had my gloves on, so I would be okay.

We approached, and I found myself shrinking a little behind Sarah as Brendon went up and fist-bumped Nicole. The spry man turned to me, holding his hand out to me to take. I gently took it, and he pulled me closer to him, introducing me to the bodyguard.

"I'm Nicole," The woman said quietly, holding her fist out. I bumped it gently, not talking.

"This is Mari. She's shy," Brendon explained, letting me go back to Sarah. Our now quartet continued onwards, getting checked in and settling down as we waited on the plane.

I reached into my pocket and brought out headphones, plugging them into my phone and sliding them in my ears. They were recently cleaned, so I knew the audio would be at its height. I quickly began to blast my music, bopping my head as I watched people move around.

After a while, Brendon and Sarah stood (Nicole never sat down). I stood, pulling my headphones out and wrapping them over the back of my neck. We boarded the plane quickly, and I was surprised to see we moved up into the first-class portion of the plane.


	7. Anyway You Want It

I stuck behind Brendon and Sarah as we climbed off the plane a few hours later. I scratched my face, thankful for just a brief moment that I wore my gloves. After checking through all of the security details and grabbing our bags, we finally arrived at the Urie's car.

As soon as everyone climbed in, Brendon and Sarah took their sunglasses off. I let out a sigh of relief, pulling off my face mask. Sarah held her fist out to me and I bumped it gently.

"Mari, what food are you the most comfortable with?" Brendon asked from the front seat.

I thought for a moment, "I... Uhm... pizza." 

Sarah nodded, "Is there a specific restaurant? We can order from pretty much anywhere in the city." She pulled up her phone. It took a moment, but she pulled up a list of pizza places by their house.

"I like Papa John's," I cursed myself in my head for not speaking louder than a whisper.

Sarah nodded as we pulled out of the parking garage. "What do you want on your pizza?"

"Just cheese," I pulled out my phone, beginning to type on it. I could see Sarah nod from the corner of my eye.

To say I needed a moment to process would be an understatement. I couldn't believe that I somehow managed to be the pick that the Urie's chose to adopt. I mean- the process still wasn't over, so they could still give up on me, and a solid 100% of couples who decided that they wanted to adopt me backed out. If the Urie's adopted me then it would go down to 85.7% but still.

I didn't realize we pulled into the driveway of the house until Sarah gently tapped my knee. I looked up, pulling a headphone out.

"We're here," Sarah said, pointing to the house. 

Brendon told me later that when I looked up my jaw dropped. The house's modern look gave it sharp details, sharper than I realized a house could get. Shrubbery covered up the porch to the point that I couldn't see into the house. 

I stepped out of the car, walking slowly towards the house. 

Brendon laughed a little, "Do you like it?"

I spun around to look at him, "It looks... big."

Brendon nodded, pulling out my suitcase. I grabbed it from him, following Sarah into the house as she brought a couple of my boxes into the house. 

"You'll be sleeping up here," Sarah said, bringing my stuff upstairs. I followed her, looking around a bit. My fingers tapped on my cheek as I looked though, and my heart felt like it would try to abandon ship soon. Sarah and I stayed quiet, both breathing hard as we reached the top of the stairs. She brought my things into the first bedroom on the left.

"Brendon and I are across the hall from you, so if you ever need anything in the middle of the night you know where to find us," Sarah said, setting the boxes she had down. "Bathroom is right next door, it's completely yours unless someone ends up staying the night here. If you want, you can stay in here and get acquainted with the room and someone can come get you when pizza is here?"

I nodded, "That sounds good."

Sarah nodded just as Brendon came in. He gently set my last box down, looking around a bit. "You can stick thumbtacks or nails in the walls wherever you want. We own the place so you don't have to worry about messing it up."

I didn't want to point out that I might not be staying that long, but didn't say anything.

Brendon and Sarah left after a couple of minutes of explaining the house to me. They gave me the Wi-fi password too, so before I began setting my room up I put on some music.

 _Would it be weird for me to play Panic?_ I stared at my phone, running through the possibilities. Brendon and Sarah probably heard it too much, or they'd come in and start dancing with me. I shook my head, _just put something else on._

After putting on some music, I began to unpack the boxes I had. The room already had a bed, dresser, and desk in it. All of them matched, making my life a little easier. 

I made sure to unroll my poster first. I left my Panic at the Disco one for obvious reasons. This one was Fall Out Boy. I smiled a little as I set it on the desk, pressing a couple of books to the corners. _That might take a while to unroll._

I followed that up by unpacking my books. I placed them on top of my dresser- since I hadn't brought that many along anyway. Or at least, I thought I hadn't. The books I brought covered the top of the entire dresser.

"Oops," I mumbled, unpacking the suitcase. Fairly easy. As I placed my clothes in the dresser, I looked at my books for a brief moment. A thought flashed across my mind- _what if I picked up my books and smashed my head in?_ My mind played out the scene, and I ran a hand down my face. I couldn't see anything else, but I tried to focus on the lyrics of the song playing. The thought slowly faded out, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Now, to avoid the books for the time being, and I would be fine. 

Right?


	8. Hey Ya!

I bolted awake a few moments later, taking a deep breath. Brendon stood in my doorway, eyes wide.

"Mari, pizza is here," He said softly.

I nodded, sitting up. Another unwanted thought played out in my vision, and I shook my head.

"You okay kiddo?" Brendon asked.

"Yeah, just tired," I said.

I followed Brendon out of the room. As soon as I stepped into the hallway I could smell the pizza. I hummed quietly, looking to make sure Brendon wasn't looking at me. He watched the ground, where a couple of dogs played.

When we approached the living room, Sarah spoke up, "Those are Penny and Bogart. They're usually chill but they haven't seen Brendon in a while." I watched as the puppies continued to jump onto Brendon, whining and yipping loudly. I took a seat next to Sarah, watching Brendon as he played with them. 

Sarah pulled a box off the table, handing it to me. I opened it to see my pizza sitting there, covered in a metric buttload of cheese. I grinned, taking a slice out and biting into it. 

Brendon joined us after a few minutes, and they let me pick a movie out. I opted for Captain America: The First Avenger. As long as the pizza had eight slices, I could time my eating out so that I had pizza during the entire movie.

I couldn't tell you how many times I'd seen this movie. I knew every single line, every action, every look. I could probably get away with watching this movie from memory if I'm being honest. As we watched the movie, I silently mouthed each line and ate through my pizza as the movie played.

Brendon and Sarah were quick to retire to bed after the movie, giggling on their way up the stairs. I scrunched my face, standing with my pizza box. _Sarah said the box was right.... here!_

I tossed the pizza box in, smiling a little as I made my way up the stairs. Maybe tomorrow would be okay?

I nearly didn't leave my room the next day. It would have been perfectly fine for me if I had just been able to in the room. But Brendon and Sarah decided we needed to go out as a family. 

So that's why I stood in the middle of an amusement park, holding desperately onto my own arms like they could get me out of this place.

Sarah and Brendon stood next to me, watching as I took everything in. "I know it's a lot, but we just wanna try a few rides, and then we can head home. Does that sound okay?"

I nodded slowly, eyeing the scene. Kids ran around everywhere, followed by parents who dragged their feet. Teenagers were scattered about, most on their phones, others holding a significant other's hand. 

Sarah wrapped an arm around me, "Come on, kiddo. Let's try some rides."

I nodded, _is that all I do?_ Sarah led me and Brendon over to a twirling ride, with a few huge teacups. Granted, these weren't Disney-level rides, but they seemed pretty fun.

The line itself took exactly ten minutes to get through, and we were assigned to a yellow teacup. As soon as the music started, Brendon took the wheel and began spinning us.

I gripped onto the seat, my breath hitching. Brendon looked up at me after a moment, a grin stretching across his face. I couldn't help but let out a short laugh, watching as he whooped in excitement. Sarah laughed too, helping Brendon spin our cup.

By the time we got off, I wanted to ride again. 

Brendon and Sarah allowed me a couple of more rides, but by ride number three Sarah looked like she could puke. Brendon held onto her hand, leading us to our next ride. A short rollercoaster stood a short walk away. A lot of couples were in line, a few teenagers. It had a different disposition about it, and it took me a moment to notice I couldn't see any kids in line.

I gulped, grabbing onto Sarah's shirt. She looked at me, eyebrows creased with worry. "You okay, kiddo?"

"How scary is this ride?" I whispered.

"I don't think it's that scary, but it might help you to scream on the ride. You're allowed to scream as loud as you want, and no one will care," Sarah said. She chuckled a bit as she continued, "Most people might scream with you."

I nodded, looking at the ride again. I think it might have been just wood, which made me tremble. As we approached, I kept a tight grip on Sarah's hand.

This would be fine.


	9. I Got You (I Feel Good)

"How are you over there Mari?" Heather and Tyler sat on my phone screen, seemingly standing outside.

"Great!" I said with a grin, "We went to a theme park the other day, and I've been helping Brendon sort out the movies and stuff so we can have a shelf built!"

Heather grinned, "That sounds like fun. What about school work, you've been working on that right?"

I nodded, "I was working on it a little while ago. I've got it all on my desk." For emphasis, I turned the camera and showed them my desk. 

They both laughed a little, "Glad to see it kiddo. Alright, we have to go get dinner. We'll see you soon!"

I grinned, "Bye!" I watched the call end and frowned a little. I knew I'd miss them, but not this much. 

A knock resounded from my door, "Mari?"

"Come in," I called, looking down and realizing that I hadn't gotten ready like I needed to.

Brendon's face displayed no disappointment however, "You ready to go yet?"

I shook my head, "I've been calling Heather and Tyler, _and_ I have no idea what to wear." I unpacked my clothes days ago, and meant to lay out an outfit then. I had forgotten though, so here we were. 

Brendon nodded, "Can I help?"

I stood, walking over to the closet, "Sure."

Brendon walked with me, looking at the little number of clothes I had. I had a few dresses, sure, but I didn't like wearing them. Jeans and t-shirts filled my drawers instead. I'd _maybe_ be okay in a pair of slacks but wanted to avoid dresses.

"Why not this?" Brendon held up a dress that was a bright yellow. I bought it because I wanted to look like I was from the 50's.

I shrugged, "It's a little see-through."

Brendon nodded, hanging it back up. We went back and forth until Brendon found a pair of slacks and a pale yellow blouse for me to wear. I slipped into them, grabbing the flats Brendon thought might look good with them. After grabbing my purse, necklace, and fancier gloves, I walked out into the living room.

Brendon and Sarah had also dressed up. Sarah's dress hung loose and went to her knees, meanwhile, Brendon's suit had sharp-looking edges.

"Ready to go see the lawyer?" Brendon asked, looking up from his spot on the couch.

I nodded. Today, we were finally finalizing the adoption.

Sarah grinned, walking with me out of the house. "You got everything you need kiddo?"

I smiled, "Yup. Headphones, gloves, mask, first aid kit." I pat my bag, climbing into the car.

"Awesome. Let's get some food and get to the lawyer's."

✞———————❖———————✞

I tapped my feet as the lawyer talked to my future parents. He'd finished asking me questions a long time ago. But a ton of people were in the room with us, all watching the proceeding happen. Brendon said that people from both his and Sarah's families were there. As we walked in earlier, I could see Heather and Tyler towards the front. 

The judge cleared his throat, "Alright. Mari, can you come up here for just a moment?"

I nodded, standing and approaching the judge's seat. I stood next to him, heart slamming in my chest. 

"Would you like to bang the gavel?" The judge asked, offering me the little bit of wood.

I thought back to all the movies and shows I had seen. I had always wanted to bang one! I nodded, gently taking it.

The judge grinned, "Alright, I'll let you know when to hit it." His attention turned to the audience, "Court adjourned!" He motioned to me, and I hit the gavel down twice.

I couldn't help but laugh a little as I passed the gavel back. "Thank you!"

"Of course. Go hug your family," The judge gently motioned me away. I stepped away from the box, approaching Brendon and Sarah. They had smiles on their faces and open arms.

I rushed forward, hugging them. Both laughed- which I could barely hear over the noises of everyone around the court. We pulled away and I followed my new parents out onto the steps of the court to take a huge family photo. 

I watched as kids and adults all filed out one at a time. Brendon glanced out the window as we passed by it, cursing quietly.

"What is it?" I asked, looking at him.

"Press is here," He complained. "I thought we kept this on the down-low."

I shrugged, "At least they found out today and not before now."

He hesitated, but smiled, "Yeah, that's true."

Before we even got outside, I could hear the commotion of the press. Inside I groaned, but outside I straightened up. Up ahead, cops stood just outside the doors and held the press back. 

We stepped out first, allowing people to join us. Heather and Tyler approached, hugging me.

"Ooh, I'm so excited for you," Heather said in my ear as we hugged.

"Thank you," I squeezed her gently, pulling away after a moment. 

"Do you want us to take the picture?" Tyler asked Brendon.

"That would be awesome, actually," Brendon pulled out his phone, fiddling with it before handing it to Tyler. 

Tyler and Heather walked to the bottom of the steps. People filled in behind us, avoiding touching reporters as much as possible. 

"Alright!" Tyler called, "On 3!"

"1!"

I could feel my mouth stretch into a grin.

"2!"

I shut my eyes briefly, my heart slamming in my chest.

"3!"

I opened my eyes, watching as Tyler pressed the phone screen a few times. He dropped the phone down a little, a grin on his face.

_I'm a Urie now._


	10. 8. Ready To Go (Get Me Out Of My Mind)

The alarm blared in my ear. I didn't groan, moan, or anything of the sort. Instead, I just rolled over and turned it off.

"Mari! Let's go!" Brendon called. "Your alarm has been ringing for 10 minutes!"

Fear shot through my body and I quickly got out of bed. My outfit (which I meticulously picked out last night) laid across my desk chair, calling my name. I changed quickly. My shoes weren't by the chair!

"Where are they?" I mumbled. I searched everywhere in the room- my closet, under my bed, heck even in the bathroom. Nothing.

"Brendon! Have you seen my shoes?" I shouted down the hall.

"By the back door!" Sarah called.

I frowned, poking back into my room. _Why did I leave them out there?_ I didn't remember doing anything outside, or even dropping the shoes off by the back door.

The sun hadn't even risen yet, I noticed. I shook my hands around, looking around for my backpack. My wrists ached by the time I found it leaning against the desk.

"Mari! We have your eggs ready for you," Brendon said, poking his head into my room. I bumped into him, stumbling back.

"Whoa, whoa. You alright kiddo?" Brendon asked, grabbing my arms.

I hesitated, trying to assess quickly. My heart slammed in my chest, and my mind raced with all the possibilities of the day. 

I shrugged. I knew I wasn't actually okay, but Brendon didn't need to know that.

He smiled a little, "It's alright. C'mon, let's get your eggs and we'll get you to school." Brendon's arm wrapped around my shoulders, leading me out of my room. I barely managed to hit the light on my way out.

"Scrambled?" I asked.

"With bell peppers and a teensy bit of cheese sprinkled in," Brendon said, holding his fingers a centimeter apart for emphasis.

I smiled, "Thank you."

Penny and Bogart came running up the stairs as Brendon and I descended. Music played softly from the kitchen- I could barely hear it but still smiled in appreciation. Brendon began to hum next to me, mimicking the words in his own way.

My backpack slapped gently on my back as we walked. I took it off as soon as I could, setting it gently on the kitchen counter next to my eggs. I sat, grabbing my fork and beginning to eat.

Sarah sat in front of me, two plates in hand. Brendon sat next to her. _Do they also have eggs?_ Sure enough, upon closer inspection, they both had scrambled eggs with bell peppers.

"You're... eating with me?" Normally, Brendon would be off to his shed by now and Sarah would be off to her office.

"Yeah! Big day! I'm gonna take you to school and drop you off," Brendon explained, stabbing his fork into the eggs.

I nodded. Just the thought of the campus I memorized ages ago sent my heart racing. I half-noticed the table shook under the influence of my bouncing leg.

Brendon smiled and reached a hand out. "It's gonna be okay, Mari. Everyone has a first day of school. Yours just happens to line up with everyone else's, so it'll be less obvious that you're a new kid."

The thought didn't exactly help. I didn't look up, merely stabbing into a bunch of eggs and cramming it into my mouth.

"What if," Brendon began, "You're not the only new girl?"

I chewed on the thought and my eggs. The idea still sent my heart pounding, but not as bad. I thought of what another girl could look like if she was new. Maybe I could be friends with a new girl-!

"Mari?" Brendon asked. 

I looked up, "Hmm?"

"It's been five minutes and you've been completely silent and just staring at your food," Brendon pointed out.

I nodded slowly, "Sorry." A short laugh followed. Brendon looked uncertainly at Sarah. I felt my heart drop.


End file.
